Thrust producing drive mechanism for watercrafts

ABSTRACT

A thrust producing mechanism for watercraft having a curved tunnel secured to the watercraft and a propeller mounted therein and adapted to drive a stream of water from a generally vertically aligned direction to a generally horizontally aligned direction to effect either a lateral control of the watercraft or a longitudinal control of the watercraft.

United States Patent Lais et al.

Sept. 9, 1975 THRUST PRODUCING DRIVE MECHANISM FOR WATERCRAFTS Inventors: Siegfried Lais, Spay, Rhine;

Reinhold Reuter, Schwall, both of Germany Assignee: Schottel-Werft, Josef Becker KG, Spay, Rhine, Germany Filed: Mar. 29, 1973 Appl. No.: 346,094

Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 5, 1972 Germany 2216344 U.S. Cl. 115/14; 114/151 Int. Cl B63h ll/02 Field ofSearch 115/12 R, 14, 16; 114/151 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Holland 115/12RX 3,185,122 5/1965 Pleugcr 115/34 B FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,094,141 12/1960 Germany ll4/15l Primary ExaminerTrygve M. Blix Assistant ExaminerSherman D. Basinger Attorney, Agent, or FirmWoodhams, Blanchard and Flynn [5 7] ABSTRACT A thrust producing mechanism for watercraft having a curved tunnel secured to the watercraft and a propeller mounted therein and adapted to drive a stream of water from a generally vertically aligned direction to a generally horizontally aligned direction to effect either a lateral control of the watercraft or a longitudinal control of the watercraft.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEI] SEP 9 I975 sumau s fig. 2

TI-IRUST PRODUCING DRIVE MECHANISM FOR WATERCRAFTS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a thrust producing drive mechanism for watercrafts and to watercrafts having at least one such mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known to provide apparatus for driving and controlling watercrafts, sometimes called steerable propellers, which are propellers which are pivotable about a vertical axis. Lateral thrust units are also known which are composed tunnels leading from one side of the ship to the other, in which tunnels one or several propellers are located to assist in the maneuvering of the ship. These mechanisms require, in order to function, a certain, relatively large depth of water, sometimes referred to as the draught of a ship.

The basic purpose of the invention is to produce a drive mechanism for watercrafts which is suitable for shallow moving ships having a small depth of submergence.

The basic purpose of the invention is attained by supporting the thrust producing mechanism, for example a propeller, in a curved tunnel (elbow) which diverts a substantially vertically directed stream of water at a considerable angle, for example into a substantially horizontal direction. A flat construction and a high efficiency are obtained in such a construction in which the propeller or propellers is or are arranged having a substantially vertical axis of rotation. The invention is used in such a manner that, for driving the watercraft, the elbow diverts from the bottom of the watercraft a sub stantially vertical stream of water into a substantially horizontally directed stream of water opposite to the direction of travel of the watercraft, for example rear wardly. The invention is further developed, for the purpose of steering the watercraft, by arranging the elbow to be pivotable about a substantially vertical axis.

For shallow draught watercrafts, an important construction exists wherein the elbow is arranged so that it does not project below the base of the watercraft. It is thereby advantageous if at least two oppositely positioned tunnels are arranged in the watercraft which, for example, open outwardly on oppositely positioned sides of the watercraft and that an elbow is pivotably arranged therebetween, whereby said tunnels operate corresponding to the known lateral thrust rudders. On the other side, the tunnels may also be directed forwardly and backwardly to thus serve as the drive for forward and backward travel of the watercraft. A combination of these structures may also be advantageous wherein for example, four tunnels are provided and have therebetween a drive mechanism according to the invention which is pivotably arranged.

The efficiency of the drive mechanism of the invention can be improved by providing one or several guide vanes in the elbow. The efficiency of the drive unit of the invention is also increased if the elbow is constructed as a nozzle.

It can be advantageous for certain watercrafts, for example work ships, if several drive mechanisms of the invention are provided, for example in front and in back or, so to speak, at each corner of the ship or in a position corresponding to the particular purpose which is to be accomplished in a given ship.

Furthermore, a special effect can be achieved if the thrust producing mechanism, for example the propeller or the propellers, are reversible.

An advantage of the unit of the invention is that the efficiency is equally good in each thrust direction. Compared with rudder propellers, the invention has yet the advantage that underwater transmission is not required. Compared with the lateral thrust units, the invention has the further advantage that the mechanism of the invention can also be used for the forward thrust. A special operation of flaps or the like is not necessary.

If it is stated above that a substantially vertically directed stream of water is diverted into a substantially horizontally directed stream, this includes all embodiments in which the water is sucked from the bottom of the ship or through the bottom of the ship and is diverted to producea lateral or longitudinally directed thrust. I

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is discussed in connection with FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a portion of a watercraft having a drive mechanism according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the lower part of a watercraft having a drive mechanism according to the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates schematically in an enlarged scale a drive mechanism of the invention without a reconstructed watercraft.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In FIG. 1, 1 identifies a part ofa ship which is flat going, has a shallow depth, namely the depth from the waterline 2 to the base of the ship 3 is small. The bottom of the hull has, for example, a trough 4 or the like formed therein adjacent the stern and which increases in depth rearwardly of the ship so that a drive mechanism 5 of the invention can be positioned in said trough and not extend below the base of the ship. The hull is constructed in such -a manner that a stream of water can exit substantially unhindered backwardly and/or, if desired, to all sides. The upwardly inclined bottom wall of the trough 4 on the ship transfers into the base of the ship so that also in this direction, that is, for example, forwardly, little resistance opposes a stream of water.

The drive mechanism ofthe invention consists substantially in a elbow 6 in which a propeller 7 or several propellers are supported rotatably about a vertical axis. The propeller or the propellers can also be replaced by other water-conveying mechanisms. The elbow diverts substantially vertically sucked-in waters into a substantially horizontal direction. The elbow containing the propeller or the propellers is supported rotatably in the ship. A motor 8 is provided for driving the propeller, which propeller is driven by common and known power transmitting means, for example, a coupling and/or a change-speed gearing provided in the coupling housing 9, a cardan shaft 10, an angle drive 12, 13 (FIG. 3) which is supported in a gear box 11 by known means and by a vertically supported propeller shaft 14. A propeller 7 is mounted at the lower end of the propeller shaft. The gear box 11 is supported stationarily in the ship.

FIG. 2 is a lateral cross section of a ship comprising a drive mechanism of the invention. The abovedescribed elbow is shown in a pivoted position in the trough. A tunnel l5, 16 is provided laterally of the trough on both sides in the ships hull, which tunnels each guide a stream of water received by the elbow selectively to the side to cause a control effect. The axis of the tunnels are slightly downwardly inclined in the outward direction in order to take away from the stream of water a possibly interfering effect.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-section of a drive unit according to the invention. The propeller 7 having a vertical axis is supported in the vertical portion of the elbow 6, namely on a propeller shaft 14, which is housed in a bearing sleeve 18 extending through the elbow. A neck 19 is secured, for example by screws, on the elbow, which neck is supported rotatably but not longitudinally movably in the gear box 11 or a support pipe 11a connected therewith. A spur bevel gear 20, which is engaged by a pinion 21, is supported approximately in horizontal plane positioned in the gear box 11 and is secured on the upper part of the neck. The control drive which comes from the rudder stand is connected to the pinion in approximately the manner as is known from steerable propellers. The elbow can thus be rotated and the thrust can be directed into a desired direction for controlling the ship.

The propeller drive shaft 14 extends through the neck 19. The upper end of the drive shaft 14 terminates above the spur bevel gear 20 and a bevel gear 13 of the aforementioned angle drive is secured thereto. A drive bevel gear 12, which is supported for example rotation about a horizontal axis in the gear box engages the bevel gear 13. The propeller 7 is thus driven from the motor 8 through the already mentioned coupling and- /or the change-speed gearing, the cardan shaft 10, the angle drive consisting of a drive bevel gear and a driven bevel gear and driven propeller shaft 14.

The elbow is constructed, from the standpoint of flow characteristics, favorably and advantageously as a nozzle, that is, the inlet opening is larger than the outlet opening. Turbulences in the zone of the elbow are avoided or eased by one or several guide vanes 22. The inlet opening and/or outlet opening are flared or constructed slightly funnelshaped. Thus, in constructing the elbow advantageously, all technical viewpoints relating to flow characteristics must be considered.

Tunnels are advantageously provided for guiding the water and following the curvature of the elbow as illustrated in FIG. 2. However, the water can also be directed freely as illustrated in FIG. 1 for the forward and backward travel.

In the illustrated embodiments, the elbow is supported on one side. For greater thrust forces, a support on two sides or a support supplementing the illustrated support can be advantageous. Thus it is possible to provide, for example, near the inlet opening a support for the elbow.

If great thrust forces are needed for a watercraft, several thrust producing elbows can be provided, for example, one or several elbows at the stern and/or at the bow or also, for example, one elbow at each corner of the watercraft.

Differing from the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the motor and, if desired, the transmission can also be arranged axially or parallel to the propellar shaft.

An advantageous embodiment can also consist of an independent attachment in the form of an elbow with the installations and attachments, the drives for the propeller and, if desired, adapted for swivel movement and a housing which contains a tunnel or the like surrounding the elbow.

The pitch of the blades 7 of the propeller or the propellers is adjustable. It is believed that a further description thereof is not necessary. The propeller drive for the propeller is reversible through a reversing gear.

Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed above for illustrative pur' poses, it will be understood that variations or modifications thereof which lie within the scope of the appended claims are fully contemplated.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A thrust-producing drive mechanism for driving and controlling of watercrafts, comprising:

hull means;

means defining a vertically downwardly opening recess in the bottom of said hull means free of obstruction by said hull means;

an L-shaped elbow having a vertically oriented first part which has at its lower end an inlet opening for a stream of water, said inlet opening being approximately equal to and slightly less than the diameter of said downwardly opening recess and a horizontally oriented second part arranged at the upper end of said first part, said second part extending radially of said first part beyond the radius of said first part and having at its end an outlet opening for a stream of water opening outwardly on a plane above the plane of said inlet opening and in a horizontal discharge direction, said inlet opening being larger than said outlet opening to thereby define a nozzle at said outlet opening and a smooth curved transfer section connected between said first and second parts, said L-shaped elbow being located entirely within the contour of said downwardly opening recess, said plane of said inlet opening being positioned closely above the plane of the bottom of said watercraft;

support means for supporting said Lshaped elbow for rotatable movement about a vertical axis parallel to the vertical axis of said first part and drive means for driving said L-shaped elbow for said rotatable movement;

means defining at least one propeller mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and drive means therefor, said propeller means being mounted inside and connected to said inlet opening of said L-shaped elbow adjacent said lower end thereof, said propeller means conveying said water through said L- shaped elbow from a vertical suction direction through said smooth curved transfer section to said horizontal discharge direction.

2. A drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said drive means for said propeller means is reversible.

3. A drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the hull of said watercraft includes means defining at least one outwardly leading channel which extends from said recess to an exterior surface of said watercraft; and

wherein said outlet opening of said L-shaped elbow is alignable with said channel.

4. A drive mechanism according to claim 3, wherein said L-shaped elbow, said propeller means and a drive connection therefor form a separate installation unit having means connectible to said drive means for said Lshaped elbow and said propeller means.

5. A drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said drive means for said propeller is mounted in said hull separate from said L-shaped elbow. 

1. A thrust-producing drive mechanism for driving and controlling of watercrafts, comprising: hull means; means defining a vertically downwardly opening recess in the bottom of said hull means free of obstruction by said hull means; an L-shaped elbow having a vertically oriented first part which has at its lower end an inlet opening for a stream of wAter, said inlet opening being approximately equal to and slightly less than the diameter of said downwardly opening recess and a horizontally oriented second part arranged at the upper end of said first part, said second part extending radially of said first part beyond the radius of said first part and having at its end an outlet opening for a stream of water opening outwardly on a plane above the plane of said inlet opening and in a horizontal discharge direction, said inlet opening being larger than said outlet opening to thereby define a nozzle at said outlet opening and a smooth curved transfer section connected between said first and second parts, said L-shaped elbow being located entirely within the contour of said downwardly opening recess, said plane of said inlet opening being positioned closely above the plane of the bottom of said watercraft; support means for supporting said L-shaped elbow for rotatable movement about a vertical axis parallel to the vertical axis of said first part and drive means for driving said L-shaped elbow for said rotatable movement; means defining at least one propeller mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and drive means therefor, said propeller means being mounted inside and connected to said inlet opening of said L-shaped elbow adjacent said lower end thereof, said propeller means conveying said water through said L-shaped elbow from a vertical suction direction through said smooth curved transfer section to said horizontal discharge direction.
 2. A drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said drive means for said propeller means is reversible.
 3. A drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the hull of said watercraft includes means defining at least one outwardly leading channel which extends from said recess to an exterior surface of said watercraft; and wherein said outlet opening of said L-shaped elbow is alignable with said channel.
 4. A drive mechanism according to claim 3, wherein said L-shaped elbow, said propeller means and a drive connection therefor form a separate installation unit having means connectible to said drive means for said L-shaped elbow and said propeller means.
 5. A drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said drive means for said propeller is mounted in said hull separate from said L-shaped elbow. 